Fallen IDF Soldier's Organ Donation Saves Six Lives, Including Druze Man
Following the combat death of Staff Sgt. Yedidya Bloch in southern Lebanon, his organ donations saved six lives, including a 72-year-old Druze recipient who received his lungs.
A Hero's Final Act
Staff Sergeant (res.) Yedidya Bloch was mortally wounded on October 24, 2024, during combat in southern Lebanon, passing away five days later. His family made the decision to donate his organs, saving six lives. Among the recipients was Labib Salah, a 72-year-old resident of Mghar who received Bloch's lungs and returned to breathing on his own after years of severe health decline.
Bloch grew up in Mevo Horon, studied at a yeshiva in Itamar, and later served with distinction as a machine-gunner in the Paratroopers Brigade. With the outbreak of the war, he immediately reported for reserve duty, fighting in Kfar Aza, Khan Yunis, and finally southern Lebanon.
The Battle in Southern Lebanon
According to his father, Menachem Bloch, Yedidya's unit was tasked with clearing a village and opening a route against underground infrastructure belonging to «Хезболла». Yedidya was leading the force when it was ambushed by 16 terrorists.
He identified the terrorists, opened fire on them, pinned them down for 25 minutes, and covered the evacuation of the wounded, his father recounted.
Following the intense firefight, Bloch was evacuated to Rambam Hospital in Haifa, where he succumbed to his wounds five days later. Facing the devastating loss, the family consulted with their community rabbi and ultimately agreed to donate his organs.
A New Life Through Donation
Bloch's lungs were transplanted into Labib Salah, a father of seven and former deputy school principal who had suffered from severe pulmonary fibrosis. After a grueling medical journey and a false start at Beilinson Hospital, Salah received the successful transplant.
I started breathing, I came back to life, Salah said. This donation gave me my life back. Today I breathe without any problems, returning to the state I was in before the illness.
Since the surgery, a close bond has formed between Salah and the Bloch family. Salah later dedicated his run in the Dead Sea Marathon to Yedidya's memory, using the platform to encourage others to sign organ donor cards and emphasizing the deep human bonds connecting diverse communities.
